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The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Budget: $35,000
Worldwide Gross: $248,300,000
Lots of people hated this movie, but the film’s “found footage” concept captivated and horrified millions. Word quickly spread about how scary this movie is, and the presentation of the material as amateur footage helped many overlook the minuscule budget. It’s the perfect example of why “less is more” seems to work wonders in the genre of horror.
Mad Max (1979)
Budget: $200,000
Worldwide Gross: $99,750,000
This Australian film featured Mel Gibson back when he was relatively unknown and served as the template for subsequent post-apocalyptic movies. Mad Max – which spawned two sequels – didn’t do so great in the American box office, but it cleaned up worldwide.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Budget: $5,000,000
Worldwide Gross: $368,000,000
Five million dollars isn’t small change, but when you consider that this independent romantic comedy made $368 million, it’s pretty insane. A true sleeper hit if there ever was one.
Rocky (1976)
Budget: $1,000,000
Worldwide Gross: $225,000,000
Inspired by Chuck Wepner’s fight agianst Ali and made for a very modest amount, Rocky won Best Picture, gave audiences a memorable character and, of course, spawned five sequels.
Halloween (1978)
Budget: $325,000
Worldwide Gross: $70,000,000
Jamie Lee Curtis wasn’t yet a big star, but both she and the character of Michael Myers became horror icons thanks to John Carpenter’s Halloween. Like so many horror movies, Halloween was followed by many sequels, which is where the real money for the studios comes from.
Friday the 13th (1980)
Budget: $550,000
Worldwide Gross: $59,700,000
Like Halloween, the real strength of this movie is the numerous sequels that followed its release. It was poorly received by critics, but Friday the 13th was the right type of slasher film that audiences showed up in droves to enjoy.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Budget: $114,000
Worldwide Gross: $30,000,000
George Romero’s independent horror film is the zombie apocalypse that started it all. Dawn of the Dead, Left 4 Dead, Dead Rising, and the rest of the zombie movies and video games owe their existence to Romero’s classic.
American Graffiti (1973)
Budget: $777,000
Worldwide Gross: $140,000,000
It’s amazing to think that George Lucas could actually make a movie without CGI-ing creatures and spaceships in the background 20 years after its release. Critics ate this movie up, as it was nominated for Best Picture.
Saw (2003)
Budget: $1,200,000
Worldwide Gross: $103,000,000
Saw came at a time when audiences were hungry for a new, fresh horror movie but still craved a memorable Freddy/Jason/Michael Myers-type villain. Along came Jigsaw, crazy ways for people to die, and of course, many sequels.
The Evil Dead (1981)
Budget: $375,000
Worldwide Gross: $29,400,000
The film was extremely controversial for its graphic violence and gore, being initially turned down by almost all U.S. distributors, until a European company picked it up. It finally premiered on October 15, 1981. Although its budget was just $375,000, it was a moderate success at the box office, grossing a total of $2,400,000 in the U.S. upon its initial release. [1] Despite getting mixed reviews by critics at the time, it is now widely accepted as a classic of the horror genre and has a dedicated worldwide cult following. The film spawned two sequels, Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn and Army of Darkness.
